Some Facts about Car Accidents

A number of individuals, who have always been inclined to question all accepted opinions (skeptics as they are called), doubt the veracity of the story which says that in 1895 there were only two cars in the state of Ohio . . . and these collided into each other.

This story appears in two separate posts: in the November 24, 1967 issue of the Life Magazine, and in a website called AF&G All Fun and Games (where over 1,900 useless, though fun and true, facts on almost about anything in the United States are either mentioned or discussed).

Other than the story above, here are additional facts relating to car accidents that are worth mentioning:

The first traffic fatality occurred in 1899. It involved a man in NYC who was killed by a car;

In 1902, Baker Torpedo, the first electric car that enclosed both the driver and the platform in its aerodynamic body was taken for a speed test. It went as fast as 80 mph before crashing and

killing two spectators;

In Sweden, on September 3, 1967, a legislation that was passed in 1963, which ordered a switch to right-hand traffic, took effect. Contrary to what so many said that the switch is murderous, highway fatalities, surprisingly dropped over 50%. How? Everyone drove carefully – both hands were kept on the wheel, both eyes were focused on the road and nobody wanted to fight for the way;

In the U.S., analysis of fatal car crashes show almost consistently that the more cars there are on the road, the more accidents and fatalities there are too; and,

A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on car crashes show that at least 90% of the millions of accidents occurring every year are due to driver error or driver fault which include drunk-driving (which is the leading cause of car accidents), reckless driving, overspeeding and distracted driving.

Law firms all across the U.S. that handle personal injury or car accident cases, the Hankey Law Office is one example, know for a fact that, to a victim, a car accident can mean trauma, painful injuries, damaged property, costly medical treatment and, probably, lost wages (if the victim is employed) due to the required period for recovery or rehabilitation.

The unexpected financial concerns due to the injury and the need to make the liable driver realize the importance of observing road safety rules make it necessary for a car accident victim to pursue a legal action to be able to claim compensation and to remind the at fault driver of his/her legal duty on the road.